BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 1455

                                                                                                                                  By: King, Tracy

                                                                                                                                    County Affairs

                                                                                                    Committee Report (Unammended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

In 1965, the 59th Texas Legislature established the Maverick County Hospital District (district)

to deliver health care services to the people of Maverick County. In the enabling act, the

legislature set forth all of the guidelines and regulations by which the district was to operate.

Health care and its delivery system exist in an environment that changes rapidly. Because of this

changing environment, the district is faced with an obligation to deliver services under authority

that is no longer adequate to meet the needs of Maverick County. To remedy this situation the

board of directors of the district has asked that its enabling statute be modified to improve the

district's ability to fulfill its obligation to deliver health care services.

 

H.B. 1455 updates the responsibilities and duties of the Maverick County Hospital District in an effort to protect the district from financial hardship and gives it appropriate authority to efficiently deliver health care services.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 3, Chapter 172, Acts of the 59th Legislature, Regular Session,

1965, to add the word “needy” as a modifier for “residents” in existing text relating to medical

care required to be provided by the Maverick County Hospital District. Deletes the words “all

necessary” from existing text.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 11(n), Chapter 172, Acts of the 59th Legislature, Regular Session,

1965, to authorize the board of directors of the Maverick County Hospital District, based on

the annual estimated amount of revenues and balances available, to annually determine the type and extent of hospital and medical care services offered by the district.

 

SECTION 3.   Effective Date.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2005.